What Happens Here Stays Here
by babywerte123
Summary: Caroline, tired of dealing with her pain of her mother by herself, needs a shoulder to cry on. With Stefan too busy helping his niece, Caroline turns to the next person she can trust, Elena. Strangely, things get weird between them. Relationships will die and blossom, a baby will appear, and someone else will disappear.


"Again," she said. Okay, so again, she hit it. And again. And again. Her bruised knuckles scraped the bag once more and she felt her chest rise up and down with in synchronization with her labored breathing. It felt powerful to be able to strike something without inhibitions. What was even better was that the bag didn't put up a fight. No, it stood in the corner, defenseless and willing to take punishment without retaliation. Caroline couldn't describe the feeling that boiled through her veins when she threw a couple punches. It was her response to an incredible amount of anger boiling underneath her skin for the past few days. Her mother was dying, her best friend was in a different dimension, and her best friend was sending her incredibly mixed signals about his affection. Anger didn't cover what she was feeling. The beads of sweat that lined her face only reflected the unshed tears that she had yet to release. Pent up frustration and inability to fix her situation led her to her current predicament. She was in the Salvatore's living room mercilessly tearing into a punching bag, taking instructions from two stuffed bears. Ms. Cuddles sat perched on the living room table with her newly sewed companion. What a pathetic looking trio the three of them were. Caroline laughed at her own lunacy and reached down to take a sip of the blood bag Stefan had graciously tossed her before leaving. He said something about his niece being in danger, something Enzo... yada yada yada. Caroline could care less at the moment. Sure, she was having mixed emotions about Stefan, but that didn't mean she had her own problems to work out first. Those did not concern his somehow related niece whom mind you, had never even met Stefan. Apparently, Caroline was second class material compared to Stefan's distant family. That would be the reason why Caroline was turning to two inanimate objects pretending that they were praising her and urging her to continue her feud with the punching bag. But they would both have to wait considering Caroline's immense thirst. She hungrily gulped down the entire bag and then neatly folded it and threw it into the nearby trash. She undid her messy bun and flipped her back into a semi-neat ponytail. If she couldn't find out why she was alone with her feelings, then she would find someone else to talk to.

"Ms. Cuddles," she started out uncertainly, eyeing the brown stuffed bear. "You don't think I'm crazy, do you?" she asked innocently.

"Of course not," Caroline muttered Caroline in a high pitched voice, grabbing the bear's paw and shaking it. "You're beautiful. No scratch that, you're the hottest bitch on this block. Everyone wants to be like you!"

"Why, thank you, Ms. Cuddles," Caroline laughed softly. "I think that you're pretty great yourself- also-"

"What are you doing?" a sweet voice chimed in. Caroline sharply spun towards the door and then quickly sighed in relief.

"Nothing," Caroline proclaimed, drawing her hand away from . "Just making sure Ms. Cuddles is right home for Bonnie," she said perkily.

"I see," Elena mused. "And does that include talking to a nonexistent bear?"

Caroline sighed. "Please, don't tell Stefan about this. He already thinks I'm as crazy as ever as it is."

Elena frowned. "Don't you think you're overdoing it a little? Sewing the bear, now talking to it?"

"Well, there's no one else to talk to and Ms. Cuddles is a good listener," Caroline persuaded. Elena hesitantly glanced at Caroline and then walked across the room and gently pulled Caroline's hands into her own.

"You're not alone in this, you know that, right?" Elena asked. Caroline's eyes began to tear up and she laughed quietly.

"Well, it sure feels like it."

"Hey, look at me, we're going to get through this, okay? We always do," Elena said gently. Caroline looked up and let out a small sniffle. Her best friend was probably right. Out of all of the crap they've gone through, this was not going to be the one to pull them down. They make it through everything. Caroline let out a deep breath and released Elena's hands.

"Don't you have a Salvatore to deal with?" she asked.

"Caroline," Elena drawled. "You're not going to get rid of me that easily. I know you and I know you can get through this."

"I know, I just need to forget all of this for a moment and I can't," she sobbed out. Elena cusped Caroline's chin and gently pulled her closed.

"Close your eyes," she commanded and Caroline complied. Elena leaned her head in a placed a chaste kiss against Caroline's waiting mouth. Caroline's eyes shot open and she sputtered.

"What the hell?"

"


End file.
